K. Hen. It is not a fashion for the maids in France to kiss before they are married, would she say? 289

Alice. Ouy, vrayment.

K. Hen. O Kate! nice customs curtsy to great kings. Dear Kate, you and I cannot be confined within the weak list of a country's fashion: we are the makers of manners, Kate; and the liberty that follows our places stops the mouths of all find-faults, as I will do yours, for upholding the nice fashion of your country in denying me a kiss: therefore, patiently, and yielding [Kissing her]. You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate: there is more eloquence in a sugar touch of them, than in the tongues of the French council; and they should sooner persuade Harry of England than a general petition of monarchs. Here comes your father.

304

K. Hen. Our tongue is rough, coz, and my condition is not smooth; so that, having neither the voice nor the heart of flattery about me, I cannot so conjure up the spirit of love in her, that he will appear in his true likeness. 315

Bur. Pardon the frankness of my mirth if I answer you for that. If you would conjure in her, you must make a circle; if conjure up Love in her in his true likeness, he must appear naked and blind. Can you blame her then, being a maid yet rosed over with the virgin crimson of modesty, if she deny the appearance of a naked blind boy in her naked seeing self? It were, my lord, a hard condition for a maid to consign to.

325

K. Hen. Yet they do wink and yield, as love is blind and enforces.

Bur. They are then excused, my lord, when they see not what they do. 329 K. Hen. Then, good my lord, teach your cousin to consent winking.

Bur. I will wink on her to consent, my lord, if you will teach her to know my meaning: for maids, well summered and warm kept, are like flies at Bartholomew-tide, blind, though they have their eyes; and then they will endure handling, which before would not abide looking on.

K. Hen. This moral ties me over to time

Bur. As love is, my lord, before it loves. K. Hen. It is so: and you may, some of you, thank love for my blindness, who cannot see many a fair French city for one fair French maid that stands in my way. 346

Fr. King. Yes, my lord, you see them perspectively, the cities turned into a maid; for they are all girdled with maiden walls that war hath never entered.

K. Hen. Shall Kate be my wife?
Fr. King. So please you.

352

K. Hen. I am content; so the maiden cities you talk of may wait on her: so the maid that stood in the way for my wish shall show me the way to my will.

356

Fr. King. We have consented to all terms of

reason.

K. Hen. Is't so, my lords of England? West. The king hath granted every article: His daughter first, and then in sequel all, According to their firm proposed natures.

361

Exe. Only he hath not yet subscribed this: Where your majesty demands, that the King of France, having any occasion to write for matter of grant, shall name your highness in this for:n, and with this addition, in French, Notre très cher filz Henry roy d'Angleterre, Héretier de France; and thus in Latin, Præclarissimus filius noster Henricus, Rex Angliæ, et Hæres Franciæ.

Fr. King. Nor this I have not, brother, so denied,

But your request shall make me let it pass. 372 K. Hen. I pray you then, in love and dear alliance,

Let that one article rank with the rest;
And thereupon give me your daughter.

Fr. King. Take her, fair son; and from her blood raise up

376

Issue to me; that the contending kingdoms
Of France and England, whose very shores look
pale

With envy of each other's happiness,
May cease their hatred, and this dear conjunction
Plant neighbourhood and Christian-like accord
In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance
His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair
France.

KING HENRY THE SIXTH.

DUKE OF BEDFORD, Uncle to the King, Regent of France.

THOMAS BEAUFORT, Duke of Exeter, Greatuncle to the King.

HENRY BEAUFORT, Great-uncle to the King; Bishop of Winchester, and afterwards Cardinal.

tion.

CHARLES, Dauphin, and afterwards King of France.

REIGNIER, Duke of Anjou, and titular King of Naples.

DUKE OF Burgundy. DUKE OF ALENÇON. BASTARD OF ORLEANS.

EARL OF WARWICK.

EARL OF SALISBURY.

EARL OF SUFFOLK.

Master-Gunner of Orleans, and his Son. General of the French Forces in Bourdeaux. A French Sergeant.

A Porter.

An old Shepherd, Father to Joan la Pucelle.

EDMUND MORTIMER, Earl of March.

SIR JOHN FASTOLFE.

SIR WILLIAM LUCY.

SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE.

SIR THOMAS GARGRAVE.

WOODVILE, Lieutenant of the Tower. Mayor of London. Mortimer's Keepers. A Lawyer.

married to King Henry. COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE.

JOAN LA PUCELLE, commonly called Joan of Arc.

Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Offcers, Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Westminster Abbey. Dead March. Enter the Funeral of KING HENRY THE FIFTH attended on by the DUKES of Bedford, GLOUCESTER, and EXETER; the EARL OF WARWICK, the BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, Heralds, &c.

Bed. Hung be the heavens with black, yield day to night!

Comets, importing change of times and states,
Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky,

And with them scourge the bad revolting stars,
That have consented unto Henry's death!
King Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long!

Upon a wooden coffin we attend,
And death's dishonourable victory
We with our stately presence glorify,
Like captives bound to a triumphant car.
What! shall we curse the planets of mishap
That plotted thus our glory's overthrow?
Or shall we think the subtle-witted French
Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him,
By magic verses have contriv'd his end?

24

Win. He was a king bless'd of the King of kings.

28

Unto the French the dreadful judgment-day
So dreadful will not be as was his sight.
The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought:
The church's prayers made him so prosperous.
Glo. The church! where is it? Had not
churchmen pray'd
33

His thread of life had not so soon decay'd:
None do you like but an effeminate prince,
Whom like a school-boy you may over-awe. 36
Win. Gloucester, whate'er we like thou art
protector,

And lookest to command the prince and realm.
Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe,
More than God or religious churchmen may. 40
Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the
flesh,

And ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'st,

Except it be to pray against thy foes.

Bed. Cease, cease these jars and rest your minds in peace!

44

Let's to the altar: heralds, wait on us:
Instead of gold we'll offer up our arms,
Since arms avail not, now that Henry's dead.
Posterity, await for wretched years,
When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall
suck,

Our isle be made a marish of salt tears,
And none but women left to wail the dead.
Henry the Fifth! thy ghost I invocate:
Prosper this realm, keep it from civil broils!
Combat with adverse planets in the heavens!
A far more glorious star thy soul will make,
Than Julius Cæsar, or bright-

Enter a Messenger.

48

52

56

Exe. How were they lost? what treachery was us'd?

68

Mess. No treachery; but want of men and money.

Among the soldiers this is muttered,
That here you maintain several factions;
And, whilst a field should be dispatch'd and
fought,

72

76

You are disputing of your generals.
One would have lingering wars with little cost;
Another would fly swift, but wanteth wings;
A third thinks, without expense at all,
By guileful fair words peace may be obtain'd.
Awake, awake, English nobility!
Let not sloth dim your honours new-begot:
Cropp'd are the flower-de-luces in your arms; 80
Of England's coat one half is cut away.

Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral These tidings would call forth their flowing tides. Bed. Me they concern; Regent I am of France.

84

O! whither shall we fly from this reproach? Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats.

Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out.

Bed. Gloucester, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness?

An army have I muster'd in my thoughts,
Wherewith already France is overrun.

Enter a third Messenger.

100

Third Mess. My gracious lords, to add to your laments,

Wherewith you now bedew King Henry's hearse, I must inform you of a dismal fight 105 Betwixt the stout Lord Talbot and the French.

Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns Will make him burst his lead and rise from death. 64

Third Mess. O, no! wherein Lord Talbot was

128

132

Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he flew:
The French exclaim'd the devil was in arms; 125
All the whole army stood agaz'd on him.
His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit,
A Talbot! A Talbot! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.
Here had the conquest fully been seal'd up,
If Sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward.
He, being in the vaward,-plac'd behind,
With purpose to relieve and follow them,-
Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke.
Hence grew the general wrack and massacre;
Enclosed were they with their enemies.
A base Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace,
Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back;
Whom all France, with their chief assembled
strength,

136

156

Third Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd;

160

The English army is grown weak and faint;
The Earl of Salisbury craveth supply,
And hardly keeps his men from mutiny,
Since they, so few, watch such a multitude.
Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry

4

So in the earth, to this day is not known.
Late did he shine upon the English side;
Now we are victors; upon us he smiles.
What towns of any moment but we have?
At pleasure here we lie near Orleans;
Otherwhiles the famish'd English, like pale
ghosts,

Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

8

Alen. They want their porridge and their fat bull-beeves:

Either they must be dieted like mules

And have their provender tied to their mouths, Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice. 12 Reig. Let's raise the siege: why live we idly here?

Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear: Remaineth none but mad-brain'd Salisbury, And he may well in fretting spend his gall; 16 Nor men nor money hath he to make war.